


Confessions

by ml101



Series: Finding Out [4]
Category: The Thick of It (TV)
Genre: Daddy!Malcolm, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-05-31 20:12:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6485887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ml101/pseuds/ml101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Honesty is a good key in an relationship. So when Nicola Murray asks her current boyfriend personal things, the man has the firm belief that it would be best to show her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> Part of an Alternative Universe where Malcolm is a father. I have different scenarios on how his colleagues find out about Malcolm and his family. For this, we Nicola.

“If we are going to continue this, shouldn’t we get to know each other first,” suggested Nicola as she and Malcolm walked the rest of the way from the restaurant they had eaten to Malcolm’s flat. 

“Aren’t we a very curious fucking beaver,” replied Malcolm, raising an eyebrow at her. It was their third date after all, and he couldn’t keep any of his personal life secret from her if he was serious with this relationship. “Go ahead, you ask the first question.”

“The ring?” asked Nicola without missing a beat. “I mean I know you’ve told me once that it wasn’t my business but come on you’re planning to oust me as Leader and you’re preparing to take the fall of the century.”

“Fucking nicely termed Nic’la,” commented Malcolm. “I’m a widower if that satisfies your curiosity.” 

Nicola’s eyes widened at the revelation. “A widower? How long?” 

“Well, it’s what 2012? Roughly 8 years now,” recalled Malcolm, his voice changing tone slightly. “Can we talk about that some other time?”

Nicola nodded, getting the hint that it was a hard topic to discuss while walking home. “Alright, go ahead Malcolm. I know you’re dying to ask something.”

“Actually...” began Malcolm. “I’m not. Go ahead and do your grand fucking inquiry. Might even prepare me for what’s to come.”

“Sure?” asked Nicola, a smile forming on her face. “I can do this all night.” 

“I figured as much,” replied Malcolm as they turned the corner to where his flat was. “Shoot.” 

“Alright, who was the journalist you dated before that got you on the wrong side of Hewitt?” asked Nicola as they entered the building and used the stairs to Malcolm’s flat. Good thing it was only three floors up because Malcolm would never take the stairs if it were any higher even if Nicola was claustrophobic.

“Kelly Grogan,” answered Malcolm as he fished out his keys as they arrived at his floor. “She’s a fucking brilliant woman though we did see that we weren’t for each other. She was civil when we ended things. Can’t same the same thing to the git she’s dating now. Hewitt can’t get over it. How the hell did you even know about that?”

“Oh Teri and I still go out on weekends,” answered Nicola as she waited for Malcolm to open the door. She had stayed over his flat loads of times before, especially during her divorce. It was your simple flat. Nicola assumed Malcolm was your extravagant man but his flat was just your basic one, what one needed to survive. Simple living room, bathroom, kitchen and a spare guest room. “And of course Ollie has mentioned it a couple of times. Not to mention Jamie, ever since he returned.” 

“Brilliant, remind me to kill those two. Teri I can let off,” said Malcolm as he tossed his keys to the table and helped Nicola out of her coat. They both sat on the coach and Malcolm waited for another inquiry.

“You know, I always thought of you as an indulgent man with a big expensive flat and furniture,” said Nicola as she looked around the apartment. “How wrong I was, I mean this place is just so simple and nice.” 

“Well...” began Malcolm. It was a night of honesty after all. He fished out his phone and sent a text to his chauffeur. “Maybe we shouldn’t stay here tonight Nic’la.”

“We can’t go to my place,” argued Nicola. “The kids are still reeling from the divorce.”

“I didn’t mean your place, love.” answered Malcolm. “You wanted to get to know me, well it’s better to show ‘ya.”

* * *

“Kids asleep?” asked Malcolm as Will helped Nicola from her coat. 

“I’m presuming so,” replied the older man. “Well Jake I am pretty sure off but your daughter I never assume anything. Would you be needing refreshment, sir?”

“We’ll do fine in the kitchen, Will.” replied Malcolm. “Why don’t you get some sleep.”

“This is your house?” asked Nicola. “Your real house. The flat is some sort of front, did I get what you said in ride over right?” 

“Yes, pretty much.” said Malcolm, as he led her to the kitchen. “Call it paranoia or whatever, I sleep in the flat during the week and when I have the time, I come home. Though when I’m stressed, I usually come home anyway.”

Malcolm prepared tea as Nicola walked over to the fridge and studied the different children’s drawings posted on its door. It was the same style as Malcolm had in his previous office and were now posted on his current office in Norman Shaw.

“So you have children?” asked Nicola who gazed at Malcolm. He was leaning on the counter, arms crossed in front of him. He nodded.

“Two. Michelle Tucker, turning 18 and Jake Tucker, turning 8.” replied Malcolm.

“8?” asked Nicola, noting another revelation earlier that day. “So...”

“Jake never knew his mum,” answered Malcolm. “Let’s talk about that some other time, Nic.” He grabbed the two cups he had prepared and motioned for Nicola to sit at down. They drank their tea in silence for a while.

“I’m sorry.”

Malcolm looked up, confused. “Why on Earth are you apologising for?”

“Well I surfaced a very bad topic for you,” explained Nicola. “I didn’t want that. I just wanted to get to know this side of Malcolm Tucker more. Not the spin doctor, Malcolm Tucker.”

“It’s alright, Nic’la.” replied Malcolm, taking her hand into his. “You were bound to find out eventually. Besides, it’s a start.” 

Nicola smiled and stroked Malcolm’s hand she was now holding. “It was a night full of surprises, though.”

Malcolm smiled, his usually shark like smirk reserved when he was hiding something and Nicola always picked up on it. “What?”

“Well,” began Malcolm taking a sip from his cup before continuing. “I think there’s one more thing I need to tell you. But as you’ve noticed I haven’t swore since entering this house, there’s a swear jar near the front door. So any language will earn you a quid in the jar.”

“What is it, Malcolm?” asked Nicola, more like demanded.

“My wife’s name. Well let’s say maiden name if you will,” began Malcolm. In all honesty, it was better for Nicola to find out know before she was told by someone else. He was just a tad bit afraid that Nicola might wake up the entire household. “Now, I ask that you take this news calmly ok? No, shouting or throwing things at me? Alright?”

“Just spit it out already, Malcolm.” said Nicola. “It’s not like you’re going to tell me you’ve been working for the government for the past two years.”

“I haven’t but he is my brother-in-law.”

Nicola almost spat out the tea she was drinking. She glared at Malcolm and the man raised his arms in surrender. “My wife was Jenna Brown, Jonathan Brown’s younger sister. No, I haven’t been feeding him anything and no I do not wish to switch sides. I have a principle, rather my wife did and I joined her.”

“Are you telling me that the Prime Minister’s sister was a member of our party?” asked Nicola, doubt evident in her voice. 

“Yeah,” said Malcolm. “She was the one that recruited me actually. I was your humble Scottish journalist and then she got me into politics.”

“You were a journalist?” laughed Nicola. “No wonder you know how to rattle those press whenever they annoy us.”

“Hey,” Malcolm feigned annoyance, but the smile on his face gave him away. “I was one of them before.”

“You make it sound like a tribe or something,” replied Nicola, her initial shock finally disappearing. “Who knows?” 

“Tom, his predecessor, Jamie, Sam,” said Malcolm. “Julius knows I have a family but the connection with Brown, I’m not sure he does. Jamie and Jonathan are civil to a degree. Tom and Jonathan are never civil, though they are the godfathers to my children. Once, I was called to the headmistress office because Jake had used a bad word. I was so worried he had heard it from me but it was that time we had a conference out of London. I had asked the two idiots to check on their godchildren. How was I supposed to know that they had both decided to visit at the same time.”

“Oh that must have been quiet a scene,” said Nicola, a smile on her face as she can just picture the then Prime Minister and the then Leader of the Opposition going at each other in Malcolm’s house. “What did you do when you found out?”

“Gave them the bullocking of the century,” replied Malcolm. “Honestly, they act more like children than Jake ever did.”

“Oh how I wished I had seen that,” said Nicola. She yawned and looked at the time. It was getting late. “Please tell me you have a spare room?” 

“I do,” said Malcolm. “Three, actually.”

From the way he said it, Nicola suddenly had a thought that Malcolm to slept in a guest room. “Malcolm, you don’t sleep in your bedroom, don’t you?”

“Next time, Nic’la.” said Malcolm as he placed their cups in the sink. “More confessions in the morning and when you meet my children. Now, I’m very close to falling asleep.”

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always appreciated.


End file.
